Your party decides to pay Yinshin-Pintai a visit. Following Tsu-Ko's directions, you begin to walk along the road south then west to the town's portal.

As you approach the immense structure, however, you are taken aback by the jarring sight. While all around you, the coastal woodlands slope down to the beaches of the shimmering sea, a completely different landscape comes into view between the gate's pillars as what seems like impossible geometry.

A dense city built on flat rocky ground seamlessly welcomes you in with a fresh alpine breeze. For a moment, you notice that you are without a shadow, the sun and moons both in front of you to the northwest, and behind you to the southeast — yet at a glance, the two copies appear to be the same.

Tsu-Ko: "Welcome to Yinshin-Pintai, the trigon's industrial town!"

You take a look around, and find yourself in a small public square over which the town's portal towers above the rest. From the square, streets of bricks over cobblestone lead in all directions, each flanked by closely packed houses covered in lush vines.

Your eyes are drawn to the numerous signs hanging high and low around every corner — no doubt beckoning to those who can read them. And as the chirping of cicadas grows distant behind you, it is replaced by the whistling of the wind and the boisterous sounds of a bustling town.

The streets of Yinshin-Pintai feel much busier than those of Shui-Ti, and a brief scan of the crowds reveals that many unicorns seem to live among the Kirin.

Tsu-Ko: "That's because the island used to be home to the Unicorn Kingdoms before it became the Kirin Empire some five hundred years ago."

Honourshine: "Do you know where the Kirin originated from?"

Tsu-Ko: "They were born with the empire, after the unicorns allied themselves with dragons during the Shunji War. Kirin loosely translates to Dragon-Unicorn."

Moonflower: "Whoa! Dragons and unicorns can make foals together?"

Tsu-Ko: "Not like that, you idiot! The Kirin are born when a unicorn's bloodline receives the Gift of Divine Dragonflame after a lifetime of devotion. It's a sacred blessing!"

Moonflower: "Ohhh! Heeheehee..."

Honourshine: "You mentioned a war...?"

Tsu-Ko: "Yes; the Shunji War, or the War That Never Happened, was the event that united the Unicorn Kingdoms against the greater demon Jikang the Forgotten.

Long story short, Jikang trapped the island in a time loop, and the unicorns petitioned the dragons of the north for help. When all was said and done, the dragons were heralded as saviours, the kingdoms became one under their rule, and the bloodlines of the devout were blessed by the new Emperor."

Curious, you ask about this Emperor she's mentioned a few times now.

Tsu-Ko: "The Emperor's name is Nidhogg, but most refer to him as the Divine Dragon, or simply the Divine. He is a primordial dragon who lives in Shinzo."

At the mention of a primordial being, you are reminded of the primordial serpent and King of the Sea, Midgardsormr — and, to a lesser extent, of the courier of Yggdrasil, Ratatosk.

Tsu-Ko: "You've met other primordial beings before? Hmph...! You must be more important than you look."

Speaking of which, you decide to ask Tsu-Ko whether she is familiar with alicorns.

Tsu-Ko: "Is that what you call yourself? Honestly, I don't remember seeing a winged unicorn before. Or a pony with wings like those, for that matter."

Moonflower: "Oh yeah! My wings are different 'cause I'm a bat pony. We're kinda rare."

Tsu-Ko: "A bat pony. Really? That's what you're called? Well, anyway, let's not just stand here in the middle of the street. Where did you want to go first?

There's museums of local history, geology and demonology, the aquarium, a few gaming houses, the rainbow view, a few parks including a snow park, the old castle... and if you ever get hungry, there's a restaurant at almost every corner. You have to pay for those, but I hear it's worth it."